Brasilia - The government's priority in congress this week is to pass its gun control bill, known as the Disarmament Statute. However, in order to get a vote on it, a legislative bottleneck has to be cleared. Two Temporary Measures (medidas provisórias) have to be voted on first. They deal with the National Water Agency and emergency assistance for electricity companies.

THE DISARMAMENT STATUTE

According to the president of the Chamber of Deputies, João Paulo Cunha (PT-SP), an article in the bill calling for a national referendum on the issue could be removed in order to ease the bill's passage. "The referendum is not all that important. What we need is new legislation that will disarm the population and make it safe to walk the streets," declared Cunha.

Here are the main points in the bill as drawn up by deputy Luiz Eduardo Greenhalgh (PT-SP) in his report last week:

1. There will be a blanket prohibition on guns, except for members of the Armed Forces, municipal guards in cities of more than 500,000 inhabitants, the federal, highway, railroad, civil and military police, and prison guards and intelligence agency agents.

2. People under the age of 25 will be prohibited from purchasing guns, except for members of the above-mentioned forces.

3. Carrying an illegal firearm will mean arrest without the chance of getting out on bail; however a person carrying a legally registered firearm can pay bail and be released.

4. The National Firearms System (Sinarm) is established which will register all weapons produced, imported or sold in the country. It will control authorizations to carry weapons.

5. All firearms must be registered at the Sinarm. Weapons owned by people who practice target shooting, hunters and colletors must be registered at the Army.

6. There are a series of restrictions on firearm ownership. People seeking to acquire a gun must provide documents showing they do not have a criminal record, that they have a job and a fixed residence, and that they are sane.

7. All present authorizations to carry firearms expire 90 days after the new statute goes into effect.

8. The new Firearm Registration Certificate only permits a weapon to be kept inside a home;

9. The manufacture, sale and importation of toy firearms is prohibited;

10. Calls for a referendum on the issue in 2005. (AB)